Seduction of the Big Easy
by NeverInLove.AlwaysInLust
Summary: In a new city, starting a new life, Beth finds home in people she's never met. As she explores her new home, she meets two people who help her realize that getting older doesn't have to mean she has to grow up, and that a knight in shining armor isn't always who she expects him to be
1. Chapter 1

Smooth jazz filled the night air around Beth as she drug her suitcase across the street to the hotel she was going to be staying in. The city lights surrounded her, creating a breathtaking scenery of buildings, cars, and people. She pulled her suitcase into the building, walking straight to the front desk with reservation paperwork in her hands.

"Beth Greene, checking in," she said to the old man at the counter. He nodded, clacking away at the keys to the computer in front of her. Without so much as a word, he toook the paperwork from her and handed her keys. She took them from him, noting that his name was Tom. 'Might as well get to know the names,' she thought, 'Gonna be here at least a month until I can find a place to rent.'

Turning from the desk, she made her way to the elevator and punched the button. She eyed the street from the window, watching as drunken couples stumbled past and flirty college girls tried to talk their way into the nightclubs across the street. This city was a whole new demon for the small town girl and it had taken her months to convince her dad that it was just the change of scenery she needed. The elevator dinged, signaling it was time for her to go up to her room and to the beginning of a new chapter.

* * *

><p>"C'mon Merle," Daryl Dixon groaned, "I don't really want to go to this place." He eyed the sign for one of the many strip clubs on the street they were on.<p>

"Aww, don't be such a sour puss baby brother," Merle said, pulling Daryl by his arm in the door.

The music bumped loudly, causing his ears to throb and the lights made his eyes hurt. Some long legged, fake chested, bleach blonde girl was twirling around on stage like a ballerina, causing Daryl to roll his eyes as he sat down with his brother. He watched as one dancer after another got onto the stage, each displaying either tooo much talent or not enough. The girls came and went from the table as Merle bought dance after dance and Daryl just ignored them and took long draws off of his beer.

Finally at a quarter past two, Daryl looked around and noted that his brother had disappeared upstairs, giving him ample opportunity to make his escape. He skirted out of the building and made his way down the street with his eyes peeled over his shoulder to make sure Merle wasn't coming after him. Bourbon street had filled up rather quickly as all the drunks made their way from one bar to the next, jostling past and helping him get lost in the crowd. Ducking onto a side street, he made his way to his apartment to get some sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning, sunshine poured in on Beth, causing her to throw her arm over her face. She groaned slightly and stretched, pulling the comforter away from her body and exposing her skin to the warm light that shone in her room. She got up from the bed and turned her coffee pot on before heading into the bathroom to start her shower. Once finished, she grabbed her laptop and started scouring through pages and pages of job listings until she had a list of possibilities. She noted that most of the jobs in the area around her were night jobs, which gave her plenty of time to get dressed up and ready to go.<p>

She spent most of her day exploring the area, taking in all of the sights in that the French Quarter had to offer. Once night sttarted to fall, she made her way to the first job listing that she had an interest in. They were looking for a jazz singer, which happened to be right up her alley. She had been singing since she was a little girl, starting in church choir and going all the way up until high school chorus. The bar was somewhat easy to find, but she found out not long after arriving that the job had already been filled. She continued going to each place on the list, talking for waitress jobs and even trying for a hostess job. Finally she got to the last listing on her page. She looked at the building in front of her and felt the butterflies in her stomach intensify. 'Well, here goes nothing,' she thought to herself before entering the building.

Daryl sat in his chair, staring at the stage in front of him. It was his favorite place to hide because his brother would never think Daryl would be in a place like this. The show had yet to start, but he knew that soon he could just sit back, relax, and enjoy without a care in the world. It was audition night, which meant that he would get to see new acts perform and watch to see who would stay and who would get kicked to the curb. The curtain rose and the lights went dark, causing him to sit up in his seat. Slow, soft music started and he tilted his head. Usually the acts were more upbeat and fast paced. Never this slow... never seducing. The stage lit up and he saw a gorgeous little blonde in a long, blue sequined gown gracing across to the microphone. He could hear the whispers of others, but they were muted as soon as she opened her mouth. All he could hear... all he could feel was her.

As the song progressed, Daryl found himself iitching to move closer, to be able to se her completely. The color of her eyes, the emotion behind them, just anything to know who she was and what she felt. The dress flowed from her body as she moved slowly, catching the lights to create a waterfall on her skin. His mouth went dry as she sang and when she was finished, he downed his drink before heading back up to the bar.

"Who was that?" he asked Tara as she poured him another drink.

"I have no idea, but she's good huh?" Tara replied, pushing the glass to him, "Sexy as hell too." She grinned at him and motioned for him to sit on the stool in front of him. "She's got a nice little body on her, doesn't she?" she asked him.

He nodded in agreement, turning to look back at the stage. It was some couple dancing to upbeat jazz now, disappointing him. He turned back to Tara and shrugged. "Think she got a role in the show?"

She smiled again and nodded. "Oh hell yeah," she said, "With that voice, I wouldn't be surprised if they made her one of the main attractions. Oh, here she comes now. You can ask for her name yourself." She walked away to another customer and Daryl turned again to see the young blonde walking his way.

* * *

><p>The man was still watching Beth as she made her way up to the bar. His eyes were hidden behind long bangs, but she knew he was still looking. She felt his eyes on her the entire walk. Taking a seat on the stool next to him, she waved the bartender down and waited patiently. The man was still watching her.<p>

She turned to him and flashed him a smile, ignoring the nerves that were making her blush. "Hi," she said softly and extended her hand to him, "My name is Beth."

He looked at her for a minute, drinking in her sky blue eyes and soft features before taking her hand. "Daryl," he said, "Daryl Dixon."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Dixon," she replied.

He nodded, dropping her hand and taking another swig of his drink. She watched him curiously for a moment before turning to the bartender. "Can I get a soda please?" she asked.

Tara nodded and grinned wickedly. "Baby girl, you can have whatever you want here," she said handing her a coke, "Where are you from pretty girl?"

"A few miles outside of Senoia, Georgia. You?"

"Woodbury," Tara answered with a smile, "Always nice to meet a neighbor. Daryl here is from Senoia. Bet you two might have run into each other once or twice and not realized it."

"Nah, I only went into town when I was in high school. Even then, just to school and back. Daddy had me pretty busy on the farm. If I went anywhere, it was to Atlanta," Beth stated, "But I am grateful to meet some people from home."

"Well, if you hang out here for a little while, I am sure we can show you around the city and get you well acquainted with it. What part of town doo you live in?" Tara questioned.

"Oh, I don't yet. I stay in a hotel here on Bourbon for now," Beth replied, "I wanted to find a job before I found a place to be honest."

"Well now you have both if you want," Tara said, "I am actually in the market for a new roommate. Rent is fairly reasonable and all utilities are included in the price. I live over in a place off Royal. You would have your own room and your own private balcony."

"That would be great!" Beth exclaimed and beamed brightly.

"There's only one downside. We live next to this asshole," she said sarcastically and jerked her head towards Daryl, "He has the unit directly across from your balcony."

Beth giggled and shrugged, looking over to study him. "I think I'll get by," she replied. Daryl looked towards Tara and raised his eyebrow. She grinned and mouthed 'You're welcome' before going back to her customers down the bar.

"Well neighbor," Beth said, "I hope I'm not to annoying for ya."

"Nah," he grunted, "Can't be worse than having Tara for a neighbor."

Beth smiled again and stood up, pulling her dress down in the back. "Well if you will excuse me, I'm going to change into my comfy clothes before I see the sights."

She made her way to the back, grinning to her self as she felt his eyes burning a hole straight through her. This may be the best day she had ever had.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so this is mostly a chapter in Daryl's POV, but there is some of Beth's in there too. I also managed to make a trailer for the fanfiction, so jump over there and take a look if you would like. It's on my alterego channel, Ariana Harcourt. I don't own the show, the characters, or any of the bars that are mentioned in this fanfiction. I also do not own New Orleans. Hope this chapter is awesome to you! Leave lots of reviews and refer a friend to the story if you enjoy it!**

Two hours later, the trio walked through the streets that weaved throughout the French Quarter. Beth took in the sights with ease and felt the last little bit of nervousness leave her. She and Tara had already moved her suitcase over to the apartment before meeting Daryl outside to explore. Seeing as it was midnight, she got to see Bourbon street in all its glory, a glamorous mixture of people filling its streets. Apparently it was Decadence weekend, or to outsiders it was Gay Pride, so she saw the strange creatures running around in bondage gear, thongs, or other odd clothing. Beads were being thrown by exotic dancers from the balconies of the clubs they worked, and the customers thhat filled the entry way showed how popular the gentlemen's clubs were in the area.

They made their way through different places, the dungeon being the first and then ending at Johnny White's right next to a place called the Boondock Saints bar. To the untrained eye, she would think that their night was coming to an end, but once the bars around there closed, the three of them headed over to Frenchmen's Street to hang out with some of the locals just getting off from the various clubs or restaurants they work at. Finally, around 6 in the morning, they made their way back to the apartments. The girls said their goodbyes to Daryl before turning in. Beth shook his hand and thanked him before going inside.

* * *

><p>Once he was safely in his apartment, Daryl went into his room, changed, and opened his balcony doors. Turning out his light, he got into bed and sighed, recounting the past few hours. Seeing her smile and laugh left him breathless throughout different times of the night. She had the face of an angel and her innocence shone through. How she ended up at the little Burlesque bar, he had no idea, but he thanked whoever was responsible for that one. He knew that she would only ever see him as a friend, knew that she was better than him. A small, bitter chuckle escaped his lips. Daryl Dixon saw himself as trash and sadly nothing could change that. Her voice floated through his balcony doors, causing him to sit up and peak across. Beth was sitting on the end of her bed putting lotion on her legs and singing a song he didn't recognize. That voice though. It had some kind of effect on him that he didn't understand. She was a siren for him, whether she knew it or not.<p>

"Go to bed Greene," he yelled across to her, "You gotta work tonight."

Her heard her peal of laughter cross over to him. "Yes Mr. Dixon," he heard her say. A grin played across his lips. "Good night Mr. Dixon," she yelled across to him.

"Good night Greene," he replied before laying back down and closing his eyes.

* * *

><p>That night, Beth awoke and looked around in a panic, forgetting where she was. After calming herself, she looked out of her balcony to the doors that stood open just across the way. Smiling, she made her way to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the night. By the time she was done, Daryl's light was on with him sitting on his balcony smoking a cigarette.<p>

"Morning sunshine," he said when she walked out on her landing.

She raised an eyebrow and shook her head, laughing. "Hardly," she replied, "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty good considering I had a soundtrack to fall asleep to," He remarked, taking another drag off of his cigarette.

She blushed lightly and looked down at the street below them. "Sorry," she said.

"Eh, it's ok. I could get used to it," he reassured her, "You spoiled me with it. Now you have to do it every night or I can't go to sleep."

She chuckled again and nodded. "I might be able to do that," she replied, "But only if you promise to come talk to me every night before work."

"It's a date," he grinned and shrugged.

"I gotta go," she stated, "But I will catch ya later, right?"

"Oh yeah, I'll be dragging my ass in there at some point tonight. What time are ya off?"

"Midnight. I could definitely get used to the six hour shifts."

"Ah no," he said, laughing, "That's just until they get to know ya. Then it turns in 8 hours every other day."

She shrugged, turning to go in. "Well then I will just have to make the most of it, huh?"

He nodded in agreement, watching her as she went inside. She felt his eyes on her back and smiled to herself. 'I could definitely get used to having him as a neighbor,' she thought to herself. She threw her shoes on, found Tara waiting at the front door, and followed her to work.

* * *

><p>Daryl dropped his brother off at the airport that night, relief flooding him that the visit was over. He loved his brother, but if he had to deal with one more night of his drunken, strung out escapades, he was going to go insane. After leaving the airport, he hit a fast food joint to eat and then slowly made his way down Bourbon to a bar to see Sasha, his best friend and practically adopted sister. She and her brother Tyreese owned half of it, so every once in a while Daryl had to pop in and say hello. After about an hour of how's it goings and who's the new girl living with Tara, he finally escaped the questions of the siblings and their waitress Amy. He made it to the burlesque around 11:30 and sat down at the bar with Tara. Beth was just taking the stage again for her last song, and Daryl was more than happy to watch her. She did a pretty killer job singing Diamond's Are a Girl's Best Friend, and her dancing along with it was perfect for the setting.<p>

He felt Tara's eyes watching him curiously as he watched Beth gracing the stage. Finally he got agitated and turned to her. "What?" he snapped, satisfied that he at least earned a jump out of her.

"Nothing," she replied innocently, "Just wondering how long."

"How long what?" he asked.

"How long it's gonna take you to get the balls to ask her out," she replied smugly. With that, she stood up, dusted her pants off, and went back to tending the bar. Daryl felt a blush creep into his cheeks and he glared at her, not noticing Beth walking over to him.

"What was that about?" she inquired, snapping him out of his daze.

"Huh?"

"What... was... that... about?" she asked slower, grinning as she drug the question out.

"Oh, nothing. Justt Tara being Tara," he replied, "How did tonight go?"

She shrugged and waved Tara over. "Can I get a rum and coke please?" she asked her friend before turning her attention back to Daryl, "It was alright. I am still getting used to being the center of attention on some of this. Kinda freaks me out a little."

He smiled, looking down at his drink. "Well at least you have the talent to be up there and you look great doing it. I couldn't even tell you were nervous," he stated matter of factly.

She blushed and looked away shyly, stirring her drink absentmindedly. He watched her carefully and then cleared his throat. "Well, if you want, I can walk you home," he said, catching her attention again. Beth looked up at him and nodded, smiling.

"Sure," she answered and grabbed her coat and purse from beside her. Together they walked out and headed back to the apartment.

"So, tell me more about yourself," he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"What do you wanna know?" she asked him, looking over into his stormy eyes. For a moment she got lost in the ocean of blue, forgetting their topic.

"Well, you said you're from Georgia. So what was your family life like there?" she said quickly in one breath. Startled, Daryl looked over to her and it all clicked into place in his mind. She ran. Simple as that.

"Oh," he replied and watched his feet. They walked in silence the rest of the way back to the apartment. Once there, she looked up at him, a conflicted look on her face. He reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Look," he started, "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

She shrugged and looked down for a minute before letting her eyes meet his again. "It happens," she said softly, "I'm just still trying to get everything situated in my own head right now."

He nodded in understanding and cleared his throat. "Well, good night Beth," he said and offered his hand to shake. She rolled her eyes and leaned in, wrapping her arms around him carefully. Awkwardly, he put his arm around her and sighed. She pulled back, leaned in, and kissed his cheek.

"Good night Mr. Dixon," she whispered before turning and heading into the apartment. That night, she sang before he went to bed again.


	3. Chapter 3

**_"I_**_'m sorry Mr. Dixon, but we lost them. The blood loss was too much and Emily faded too fast." the doctor said quietly. The white walls and floor of the hospital blinded him as the tears filled his eyes._

"What was it?" he asked a few minutes later, clearing the lump from his throat.

"A boy," the doctor stated, he looked down at the ground to find the words to continue.

"How did he-" Daryl tried and failed to finish the sentence, grief overwhelming him again.

"The cord was wrapped around his neck and he went too long without oxygen. Again, I am so very sorry for your loss," the doctor said before turning to his nurse and whispered, "Stay with him.

Daryl awoke with a start, the darkness overwhelming his senses. The sound of jazz filled his room, calming him instantly, reminding him of where he was. He laid in the in the black room, trying to erase the images of his past from his head. He looked over to his night stand and picked up the picture of her. Emily smiled at him from the photo, eight months pregnant with a paint brush in hand. Her long blonde hair shone gold with the sunlight and her smile a mile wide with mischief. He sighed and set the picture down, getting out of bed. He walked across the room to his balcony and grabbed a cigarette out of the drawer next to the door, lighting it up. As he smoked, he looked down at the street below him, listening to the older gentleman playing the saxaphone. The light flicked on in the room across the street and he watched through the sheer curtains as Beth came out in her robe, fresh from a shower. She reached into her vanity and grabbed her lotion, propping her foot on the stool as she began to apply it to her legs. Daryl shifted uncomfortably, unable to take his eyes from the window. Too soon, she was done and started to slip the robe frrom her shoulders. Daryl turned away and leaned against the rail looking into his room.

Minutes later, he heard the door open behind him and he turned to see her looking across at him. He raised his hand in a wave, which she returned easily. She watched him for a moment as he lit another cigarette before finally saying something to him.

"I'm off tonight," she started hesitantly, "Wanted to see if maybe you would come hang out with me for a while."

He nodded and took a drag, lost in thought. She smiled and looked down at the street. "Lemme get dressed," he said, "Should be ready in about 15 minutes." She nodded and made her way into the apartment.

He put his cigarette out and went into his apartment, pausing to look back over his shoulder. The light in her room was off, leaving it dark and quiet. After his shower, he made his way across to her apartment and knocked on the door. Tara opened it eagerly and drug him inside by the hand. "You gotta come see this," she said excitedly, "I made Beth change into an outfit I bought her the other day." She made him sit down on the couch and ran into her room.

Beth walked into the main room twenty minutes later in a short, white sequined dress, her hair fashioned into a simple, but elegant updo with an angel halo on. Tara followed behind her in a pair of red leggings, a black and red corset top, and devil horns on her dark, straight hair. Confusion etched Daryl's features as he looked on.

"Is it Halloween already?" He asked, looking down at his watch for the date. Tara shook her head and grinned. "Nah, it's a Saints and Sinners party down at Lucky Pierre. They are having a drag show and a costume contest."

He looked over to Beth and toook in her appearance fully. Glitter shimmered all over her, giving her the appearance that she was glowing. "You look beautiful," he said breathlessly, causing her to blush.

Tara nudged her gently and grinned again. "Told ya so," she teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her in for a hug.

An hour later, they stood in the upper club at Lucky Pierre, the lights and music intoxicating to them each. Beth looked around at the people dancing, before turning back to the bar. Daryl walked over and tapped her on the shoulder, his nerves causing his stomach to fly into his throat. She looked up, sparkling from the lights dancing off of the glitter on her face. "Do umm... Do you wanna dance?" Daryl asked, trying to force himself to keep a calm demeanor. She smiled brightly and nodded, taking the hand he offered and following him out on the dance floor. As they danced, Daryl got lost in the moment, her scent filling his nose every time she danced against him. She turned towards him and looked up as she danced, when a slow song came on. She wrapped both arms around his neck and leaned in close to him. His hand instinctively dropped to the small of her back and she looked back up at him, suddenly closer than he thought. As the song played on, they stared into each other's eyes. Daryl leaned closer to her, and just as their lips were about to touch, she jerked away, looking behind her.

"Beth?" he heard a male voice say, "Is that you?"

**I'm sorry this one is quite a bit shorter than I've been producing for you, but life is being super hectic for me. Please don't kill me for leaving you with a cliffhanger either. I know, I suck right now for interrupting their kiss, but I promise it will all be explained and well worth it! I don't own any of the characters sadly, and I don't own any of the places. Thank you all for reviewing and PolkaDotSocks93 I will try really hard to make sure I do your hometown justice. I have only been a few times, but I love it there! If you choose to accept a mission, I might ask you to be my eyes lol.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Beth? Is that you?" said the man that she turned to. She grinned widely and grabbed him into a big hug.

"Oh my god, Glenn! How are you? What are you doing here?" Beth asked, pulling back to look around.

"Your sister is in the restroom," he replied knowingly, "We came down for one of her seminars and decided to go out and have a few drinks.

Beth turned to face Daryl and grabbed his hand, pulling him closer to her. "Daryl, this is my brother-in-law, Glenn," she introduced him, "Glenn, this is Daryl, one of my really good friends."

Glenn shook Daryl's hand and gave him a nod. "I hope you're keeeping Bethy out of trouble," he teased, "She can be a bit of a handful."

"Tell me about it," Daryl replied and smiled, "Nah, actually she's been the one keeping me out of trouble."

"That sounds like her," Glenn answered and looked back at his sister, "You look great by the way."

"Glenn, why did you- Oh my god! Beth! Hi!" Maggie exclaimed as soon as she saw her, "I was hoping we would get to see you while we were here!"

Beth pulled her sister into a hug and turned to Daryl again. "This is my sister, Maggie. Maggie, Daryl."

"He's one of her good friends," Glenn stated, grinning. Maggie walked up and wrapped her arms around Daryl. He stiffened slightly at the contact, looking at Beth uneasily.

"Any friend of Beth's is a friend of mine," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before returning to her husband's side. "So I was about to drag Glenn to a strip club after the costume contest. You guys wanna come."

Beth looked over to Daryl and he shrugged at her, motioning to her. "Your choice angel," he said, instantly liking the nickname he gave her.

She smiled and looked over at her sister. "Well I gotta get Tara and see what she feels like doing, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have a problem with it," she said, nodding towards Tara. Maggie followed her sister's eyes and saw the brunette shamelessly flirting with another brunette woman. Beth pulled thee group behind her over to Tara and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Tara, this is my sister and Glenn," she said, motioning to the duo behind her, "They want to know if we want to hit up a strip club after the costume contest."

"Oh hells yes," Tara replied excitedly, "Do you mind if my new friend, Alisha tags along?"

"Not at all," Maggie answered, "The more, the merrier."

"Ok guys, the Saints and Sinners costume contest is underway here at Lucky Pierre. Will the contestants please make their way to the stage downstairs so we can get the winner crowned."

"Ooh that's us," Tara said, dragging Beth downstairs behind her. Once they took their place on the stage, Beth looked around at the crowd uncomfortably. She quickly found Daryl and met his eyes, calming instantly. The very flamboyant annnouncer sashayed his way across the stage, swinging his hips as he walked and began talking to the crowd. His voice droned on, but all Beth could focus on were the steel blue eyes on hers and it drowned out the sounds around her. Her heart started racing and butterflies raced in her stomach as the realization hit her. She wanted him. She wanted to be with Daryl. She was pissed that he didn't get to kiss her, that they were interrupted. Thoughts swirled in her head, distracting her. It wasn't until she saw him clapping and felt Tara pushing her shoulder, that she realized she won.

"Congratulations," the announcer said, putting a tiara on her head under her halo and pushing a envelope full of money in her hand. "You are the winner of our Saints and Sinners contest. Grand prize is $1000 and you also have two tickets to a movie of your choice. Enjoy!"

Tara grabbed her and hugged her before they were ushered off the stage to make way for the drag show. "Ok," Maggie said, as they all regrouped, "Let's go corrupt my husband and little Bethy."

Beth lagged behind slightly, itching for the chance to walk with Daryl. Once they were even with each other, she carefully slipped her hand into his and pulled him closer to her. "We need to talk," she whispered in his ear, "Tonight, when we get back to the apartment."

Daryl nodded slightly and squeezed her hand in affirmation. She smiled at him softly and dropped his hand before he could get too uncomfortable.

At the strip club, they each ordered their drinks and sat down at a table in the back. "What is this place called again?" Beth asked, shiftly awkwardly in her seat.

"Rick's Saloon," Maggie answered, "I was told it was one of the better ones. They gave me a couple of names. They told me to stay away from one place. I think they called it Love Acts. Something like that. Said the drinks were overpriced and the entertainment was scary."

Daryl grinned and leaned over to Beth. "Yeah, she ain't kidding," he whispered, earning a giggle out of the blonde.

Beth turned her attention to the stage and watched as the girl did an array of acrobatics, flowing with the music beautifully. She watched the breathtaking sight so intently that she didn't notice the man walking up to the table.

"Hi, are you folks enjoying the show?" the man asked, looking around at the group. Beth nodded and the rest agreed, eyes still on the stage. "That's Amy. She's one of the few aerial artists we have here. Anyways, ya'll let me know if you need anything. The next round is on the house."

Beth looked up at the man and held her hand out. "Thank you," she said, "Who do we ask for though?"

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that. I'm Rick Grimes. I own the place," he answered and shook her hand.

"Well thank you very much Mr. Grimes, we appreciate it," Maggie said from behind Beth.

"It's no problem, really. My wife, Lori over at the bar actually knows Alisha, so when you all came up to the bar, she let us know you were with her."

"Oh, ok. Well we extend the same offer if you ever end up over at the burlesque down the road," Tara piped in, "I'm usually the one at the bar and I definitely don't mind giving new friends the hookup."

Rick grinned and nodded his head, "We will definitely try to make it down there. With two kids though, our time is limited."

"Understandable," Tara replied.

"Well it was nice meeting you folks, but I gotta get back to work." He took his leave, heading back over to his wife.

Two hours later, the group walked outside and said their goodbyes, parting ways. Glenn and Maggie headed back to their hotel, and Tara left with Alisha. Beth and Daryl walked down the street heading home. Daryl looked over at Beth, noticing she was being unusually quiet. He moved over closer to her and nudged her shoulder with his playfully.

"Whatcha thinkin' bout over there?" he asked, looking back down at the ground.

She stopped walking and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. He looked down at her in confusion, but she ignored it and stepped closer. Taking a deep breath, she closed the distance, putting her hand on the back of his neck and pulling his lips into hers. He stood in shock for a moment before putting his hands on her waist and pulling her in to him.

**Couldn't sleep. Needed the first kiss damn it. Anyways, hope you all love it. P.S. Rick's Saloon is a real place, but it is obviously not owned by Mr. Grimes. Nothing in this story is owned by me except the storyline. Believe me, if I owned them, I would be on vacation somewhere nice and warm and not stuck at work right now. Leave love! Lots of reviews please!**


	5. Chapter 5

_His hands met Beth's hips as he picked her up and set her on his kitchen counter. Her lips glued to his, she ran her hands through his hair and puulled him closer, if it was possible. He pushed into her, his arousal straining against her warm center. She moaned softly, raking her nails into his shoulders. She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. He jumped backwards when he saw Emily's face staring back at him. "Why are you dreaming of her? You should be dreaming of me," she said, anger filling her innocent features, "You should be dreaming of our child, of our life! Not some cheap skank! I am the one who gave you my life! Who gave you a life! I took you away from that trash you called a life!" She reached for him, pulling him closer. She leaned in and whispered softly, "You can't dream of her." She plunged a knife into his back._

Daryl jumped out of bed, smacking his leg on his night stand. He cursed loudly, limping away from his bed and spinning wildly in confusion. The man downstairs started playing his saxaphone and Daryl calmed, running his hands through his hair. Sweat poured out of his skin and he reached into the drawer and grabbed a cigarette, stepping out into the night. It was early. Well, early by a night shifter's schedule. Barely 5:30. He sighed, leaning aginst a wall. Beth would be up soon, he knew this. She had asked him to dinner tonight, which he eagerly agreed to.

That kiss though. That first, sweet kiss. She tasted better than he imagined. She tasted like strawberries and vanilla. His fingers rubbed his lips gently while he thought about it. He had wondered for so long, that when the real thing happened and he realized it wasn't even close to what he imagined, that it was better; he got lost in it. Addicted. He knew now why Merle fiended so much for his drugs. She was his. She became his heroin with just one kiss. He took a drag off of his smoke and closed his eyes, trying to will himself to calm down. The dream tried to ruin it for him. He knew somewhere inside that Emily wouldn't hate him for moving on, that it was his own guilt, but still. It had seemed so real in that moment, that he had a slight doubt in himself, in his faith in her. It's amazing how much Beth favored her. They could have been related, if it weren't for the fact that Emily was an only child and had no other family. Same blonde hair, same goofy smile. Except Emily had green eyes, where Beth had blue.

The light flicked on, and he instinctively looked across. Instantly, he regretted this. His eyes were glued to her as he watched her cross her room. The sheer night gown left little to the imagination. Her smooth, silky thighs and her perky, tight breasts were almost completely visible. His voice hitched and he felt his jeans start to tighten. She pushed the gown down off of her slowly, exposing inch by inch of her back to him. He watched as the gown made itt to the small of her back, then dropped, exposing her tight butt to him. He caught his breath and turned, walking into his apartment.

Getting into his shower, he soaked under the water, trying to erase the beautiful image from his head. It didn't work. He turned the dial to ice cold and sat there for ten minutes before getting out and drying off. Once he was finished, he made his way back to his balcony. Her lights were off now and he could hear her and Tara on the road below leaving for work. Sitting on the chair outside, he lit up another cigarette and lost himself in thought.

It was the summer that Daryl turned 19 when he met Emily. She was walking out of the diner across from the shop he worked at. He could see her smile from across the street and instantly he was hooked. Two weeks later, she was in the shop with a bad air conditioner in her beat up truck. They struck up a conversation and hit it off easily.

Months later, they went to the courthouse to get married. The love that blossomed between the two of them was one that he never thought he would find. She accepted everything he had been through, saw past his scars and bad childhood. It was only 2 years later that he lost her and their child, leaving him in a dark place and driving him from his home in Georgia. New Orleans was just supposed to be a stop on the way to Arizona where his uncle lived, but he fell in love with it and decided to hang around.

A knock on his door shook him from his thoughts, and Daryl got up to look out in the hallway. A short haired lady stood outside holding some kind of breifcase and looking quite peeved. He cracked the door and looked out at her.

"Hi, I'm Carol Peletier. I am the attorney that is representing your brother. He told me to come and let you know that he has been arrested for murder."

**Another short one, sorry guys! I love you all! Thank you for all the love that you are leaving me!**


End file.
